AAC just lost their big 3

[app97]

Look, I think the delusional fan base at UNC Commuter is lame too, but some of y’all are obsessed with them. Why even concern yourselves with them? They aren’t relevant. If we continue to do what we do, we will continue to emerge as a national brand, much like Boise.

You’re obsessed with Boise (state)

Point was that they emerged nationally despite location, conference affiliation, and media market. The difference is that they don’t have other nearby P5 schools to compete with.

[MAD Doctor]

Look, I think the delusional fan base at UNC Commuter is lame too, but some of y’all are obsessed with them. Why even concern yourselves with them? They aren’t relevant. If we continue to do what we do, we will continue to emerge as a national brand, much like Boise.

Not obsessed, but I did scan CUSA and AAC message boards to see the chatter regarding realignment (kind of a big deal.) What I found were pages of demeaning posts about our team and our town by UNCC fans. Rather than trying to argue with morons who post pictures of our Wendy’s ( as somehow that’s a bad thing) I dared to make a negative comment on our message board toward UNCC, oh sorry, Charlotte. I guess “some of y’all” would rather read the uplifting posts about how our “coaching is the issue.”

[Bootsy]

Charlotte fans (all 15 of them) can say whatever they want. I don't think any of us should care.

Going forward, the AAC won't have the firepower on the field nor the prestige in the press it had before. No matter what Aresco says or does. He was scrambling around desperately when the best teams in the American bolted. I wouldn't doubt for a minute that Aresco reached out to some SBC teams and they all said no.

I'd imagine there's much more to the alignment story that will come out in the press over the next few months, after all the dust settles. The Sun Belt will be the preeminent G5 conference in college football. Because at the end of the day, wins and losses are what matter.

Or as my old Grandpap used to say, "money talks and bullsh*t walks."

[Yosefus]

Interesting that AAC is going for big markets vs historic good programs. Look how CUSA did same and is imploding and could wind up folding. Will AAC wind up in same boat as CUSA is now? I am glad the Sunbelt has chosen the route of program vs market it is paying dividends from what I have been reading last 2 days or so. I am also glad the shoe is not on the other foot we could be scrambling looking for a conf home right now. Wouldn't surprise me if Sunbelt doesn't have 16-18 teams next season if CUSA doesn't survive.

[app97]

Look, I think the delusional fan base at UNC Commuter is lame too, but some of y’all are obsessed with them. Why even concern yourselves with them? They aren’t relevant. If we continue to do what we do, we will continue to emerge as a national brand, much like Boise.

Not obsessed, but I did scan CUSA and AAC message boards to see the chatter regarding realignment (kind of a big deal.) What I found were pages of demeaning posts about our team and our town by UNCC fans. Rather than trying to argue with morons who post pictures of our Wendy’s ( as somehow that’s a bad thing) I dared to make a negative comment on our message board toward UNCC, oh sorry, Charlotte. I guess “some of y’all” would rather read the uplifting posts about how our “coaching is the issue.”

At least that is about us…concerns about our growth. We can’t control media markets, etc. one of the beautiful aspects of App State (location) is also a hindrance in the minds of some. Maybe a simple resolution would be to file topics like this under the “other schools’ athletics” or “non-Appalachian page”. I’m not mad at anyone. At least (hopefully) we aren’t posting on uncc’s message board. I know some have in the past amd I always thought it was a bad look.

[NattyBumppo'sRevenge]

Still trying to understand how Harrisburg qualifies as a big market. Maybe they should have picked up Queens College which is actually in Charlotte.

[AppfaninCAALand]

Sounds like it’s official (though not officially announced). The East is gonna be a beast. Could rival the ACC football divisions in many years

East will be ridiculously stacked. Many more versions of Wednesday’s game incoming…

Short of maybe swapping out ODU for ECU, I don't see how the realignment circus could have ended up any better for App than it appears to be.

The Belt is winning realignment, our conference is getting better at EVERY sport (including men's soccer going from non existant to one of the best in the land).

[Appstate88]

Ready to see Men’s Soccer return when realignment dust settles.

[MAD Doctor]

Look, I think the delusional fan base at UNC Commuter is lame too, but some of y’all are obsessed with them. Why even concern yourselves with them? They aren’t relevant. If we continue to do what we do, we will continue to emerge as a national brand, much like Boise.

Not obsessed, but I did scan CUSA and AAC message boards to see the chatter regarding realignment (kind of a big deal.) What I found were pages of demeaning posts about our team and our town by UNCC fans. Rather than trying to argue with morons who post pictures of our Wendy’s ( as somehow that’s a bad thing) I dared to make a negative comment on our message board toward UNCC, oh sorry, Charlotte. I guess “some of y’all” would rather read the uplifting posts about how our “coaching is the issue.”

At least that is about us…concerns about our growth. We can’t control media markets, etc. one of the beautiful aspects of App State (location) is also a hindrance in the minds of some. Maybe a simple resolution would be to file topics like this under the “other schools’ athletics” or “non-Appalachian page”. I’m not mad at anyone. At least (hopefully) we aren’t posting on uncc’s message board. I know some have in the past amd I always thought it was a bad look.

Not to worry. Have never posted there, and have no desire to. If I did, they’d probably call me “obsessed” with them. My number one wish right now is to win out and restore order against ULL. However, if I choose to take an occasional shot against any other program on this board, I will.
Go App!

[spacemonkey]

I hope I am wrong on this...but...Marketz was not Conf-USA's problem, not having ESPN was what took CONF-USA down. ESPN completely ignores teams not under their umbrella. I think UNCC and other teams from C-USA will be better under the AAC/ESPN umbrella. Again..I hope I am wrong. ESPN made Louisville and UCF. They have helped us a lot over the years. If you win and you are not on ESPN does it really happen?????????????????

[AppSt94]

It is quite possible that Charlotte got a nod because we said no thanks.

[AppStFan1]

It is quite possible that Charlotte got a nod because we said no thanks.

I heard the rumor and I do believe we turned them down but the AAC has gone after all markets it appears. They are banking on potential. With that said, markets do no good if you can't get people to go to games or watch on TV. The AAC is nowhere near where it was. If Memphis and SMU bolt like some think then the league really takes a couple steps back.

Just compare the leagues and in terms of football powers there is no doubt the SBC is superior.
SBC- App, Ga Southern, Marshall, Troy, Coastal Carolina, Louisiana
AAC- UTSA, Charlotte, East Carolina, South Florida, Temple, FAU, North Texas

The AAC has teams with potential and could rebuild into a good league but I think it at least takes a decade. By then I think App, Troy, Coastal, Louisiana, Marshall, etc could take big steps forward as well

[citroknight]

It is quite possible that Charlotte got a nod because we said no thanks.

Possible but probably not likely. All 6 adds across the board scream market so that seemed to be the singular focus after the MWC outreach didn't work.

Not sure if the AAC decided on their direction 100% on their own or if ESPN guided them more than usual. But it would allow ESPN to have 2 distinct G5 products under their umbrella. The AAC provides a high budget large market approach even though a lot of the programs are young and unproven. The SBC provides a smaller budget and market approach with schools that have strong football traditions and history with solid fan bases.

[AppSt94]

It is quite possible that Charlotte got a nod because we said no thanks.

Possible but probably not likely. All 6 adds across the board scream market so that seemed to be the singular focus after the MWC outreach didn't work.

Not sure if the AAC decided on their direction 100% on their own or if ESPN guided them more than usual. But it would allow ESPN to have 2 distinct G5 products under their umbrella. The AAC provides a high budget large market approach even though a lot of the programs are young and unproven. The SBC provides a smaller budget and market approach with schools that have strong football traditions and history with solid fan bases.

Why would It seem unlikely? He went after Air Force and Colorado State. Colorado State is similar to App in the fact that while not in a market, it is close to a metro area that is dominated by a P5 team. You can make the same call for Air Force, but they are a military academy school and that carries a different weight. When they said that they weren’t interested, Aresco came out and publicly whitewashed the thanks, but no thanks, with a “we didn’t ask them.” You don’t make that statement unless interest was being gauged by the AAC. This thing will get spun 50 ways to
Sunday to make him look like a genius, but you aren’t going to publicly know, at least from him, who told him no thanks. In the conversations you that I have had with our administration, the response was a resounding, we can’t afford it. So, in my opinion, he took the only ones that were willing to go.

[Stonewall]

It is quite possible that Charlotte got a nod because we said no thanks.

We weren't alone.

[Yosefus]

If the AAC did come knocking. Our folks made the right call staying put.

[citroknight]

It is quite possible that Charlotte got a nod because we said no thanks.

Possible but probably not likely. All 6 adds across the board scream market so that seemed to be the singular focus after the MWC outreach didn't work.

Not sure if the AAC decided on their direction 100% on their own or if ESPN guided them more than usual. But it would allow ESPN to have 2 distinct G5 products under their umbrella. The AAC provides a high budget large market approach even though a lot of the programs are young and unproven. The SBC provides a smaller budget and market approach with schools that have strong football traditions and history with solid fan bases.

Why would It seem unlikely? He went after Air Force and Colorado State. Colorado State is similar to App in the fact that while not in a market, it is close to a metro area that is dominated by a P5 team. You can make the same call for Air Force, but they are a military academy school and that carries a different weight. When they said that they weren’t interested, Aresco came out and publicly whitewashed the thanks, but no thanks, with a “we didn’t ask them.” You don’t make that statement unless interest was being gauged by the AAC. This thing will get spun 50 ways to
Sunday to make him look like a genius, but you aren’t going to publicly know, at least from him, who told him no thanks. In the conversations you that I have had with our administration, the response was a resounding, we can’t afford it. So, in my opinion, he took the only ones that were willing to go.

AFA and CSU made sense as part of the westward play to bridge to Boise and SDSU. there's no east coast Boise available for the AAC that they'd need to mix and match small markets to bridge to. The fact that they didn't go for a single small market but strong football program in the east means they didn't wanna mix and match their approach. Or ESPN told them not to go for SB teams already in their portfolio.

[NewApp]

It’ll be interesting to see if there’s any interest from the AAC. One big factor against us could be the lack of support App State receives monetarily. There aren’t many willing to put their money where their mouth is. We mostly have a free loading fan base (only 2,700 Yosef club donors).

If the YC would offer less expensive membership options, perhaps things would be better number wise.

[NewApp]

If the AAC did come knocking. Our folks made the right call staying put.

Totally agree. Who the Hades wants to be another ECU?

[goapps93]

It’ll be interesting to see if there’s any interest from the AAC. One big factor against us could be the lack of support App State receives monetarily. There aren’t many willing to put their money where their mouth is. We mostly have a free loading fan base (only 2,700 Yosef club donors).

If the YC would offer less expensive membership options, perhaps things would be better number wise.

Really?!? One can join Yosef Club with any amount of money. Every little bit counts. I gave $100 this year. All I could currently afford but it's a start.